SC - Coffin Pastry

[Cindy Renfrow]

>I tried making a coffin pastry using the recipe from Traveling Dysshes
>but ended up with crumbs - nothing stuck together.
>My jinx with pastries continues!  I don't know a lot about working with
>doughs/pastry but it seems that the liquid dry ratio isn't
>right.  The recipe calls for 4 c. flour with 1/2 c. butter and 1/4 c.
>water boiled and then added to the flour.  Even though I adjusted the
>liquid, it still didn't work.  Any ideas on what might have happened or
>better recipe?  I couldn't find anything in my limited library that
>seemed similar.
<snip>

Here is a recipe for Hot Water Crust Pastry.  It makes enough for one
6-inch by 3-inch raised pie.

1/3 cup boiling water
2 tablespoons lard
1 1/2 cups flour, sifted
1/2 teaspoon salt

Sift the flour & salt into a bowl, & make a well in the center.  Put the
lard in the water & stir till it melts.  Pour the hot liquids into the
flour well & stir to make an elastic dough.  Add more boiling water if the
dough is too dry.  Knead the dough on a floured board until smooth.
Reserve one-third for a lid.  Shape the rest into a cylinder.  Fill with
your already-prepared filling (holds about 1 1/2 cups) and cover with the
pastry lid.  Poke a steam vent in the lid.  Bake at 400 degrees F. for 25
to 30 minutes, or until done and golden.

This is a modern recipe, but there is a period one in Sabina Welserin's CB.

HTH,


Cindy Renfrow/Sincgiefu
renfrow at skylands.net
Author & Publisher of "Take a Thousand Eggs or More, A Collection of 15th
Century Recipes" and "A Sip Through Time, A Collection of Old Brewing
Recipes"
http://www.alcasoft.com/renfrow/


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